"Why are you still here?" Yu He was startled.
Ever since that day the Ye family returned, this man had stayed for a night using the excuse of feeling unwell.
She had given him a few more acupuncture treatments this morning, thinking he would have left, but she hadn't expected him to still be here.
"This is my house," Qin Beiting said.
Yu He: "..."
Yu He: "Didn't you say you wouldn't stay long?"
"But my condition requires me to stay by your side," Qin Beiting said, his dark, deep eyes fixed on her.
His magnetic voice, with its slightly drawn-out ending, gave the impression of him acting spoiled.
"..." Yu He was so flustered that she was speechless for a moment.
Qin Beiting's gaze, as he looked at her, involuntarily drifted down from her exquisite face.
She was wearing a creamy white silk slip dress, and beneath her fair, slender collarbone, her fullness was hinted at.
He felt a sudden dryness in his throat and found the little piglet sleeping soundly in Yu He's arms somewhat of an eyesore.
He took a step forward, his well-defined fingers tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, then tracing a path down her slender neck. Finally, he scooped the little piglet out of her arms, saying, "Don't spoil it so much."
Yu He's entire body trembled lightly, a tingling sensation spreading across her skin where his fingertips had touched. It took her a while to realize his gaze, and her cheeks flushed crimson.
She wasn't wearing anything underneath!
With a "thump," she turned around in embarrassment and closed the bedroom door.
The little piglet, abruptly woken, looked at the closed door with a bewildered expression, then at Qin Beiting, who was frowning slightly.
It had been sleeping in its little mistress's arms, so why had things suddenly changed?
"No more taking advantage of her from now on!" Qin Beiting tapped the piglet's head with his index finger.
Little piglet: "???"
Inside the room, Yu He leaned against the door, her heart beating a little faster.
She was used to living alone, so she was quite casual about her habits, and hadn't considered that Qin Beiting was still here.
Qin Beiting's previous suggestive words had already left her flustered, and she could only force herself to remain calm. Now, being caught in such an awkward situation, her heart couldn't help but race.
She pressed her hand against her rapidly beating heart, telling herself not to be swayed by the man's appearance.
Before her adoptive mother's deep vengeance was avenged and her adoptive father's unjust case was overturned, the Qin family members were not to be trusted lightly.
Once she got the Black Spirit Pearl and cured his illness, she would leave!
Outside the door.
Qin Beiting emerged after a cold shower and frowned as he looked at Yu He's still-closed bedroom door.
Women who were infatuated with his looks could circle the earth twice over, yet this girl, for some reason, kept him at arm's length again and again.
"Why is a girl who was once so close now keeping her distance from me?"
Qin Beiting typed this question into the browser with his slender fingers, but the search results were not as he had hoped.
Just then, his phone rang. It was Lu Yiming.
"Brother Ting, come out to Di Sheng to play."
Qin Beiting glanced at the time; it was already eleven o'clock. "I'm not going."
"The ace player Shao Chen is back, let's go out and learn from him," Lu Yiming added.
Qin Beiting's phoenix eyes flickered, and his gaze returned to the direction of Yu He's room. "I'll be there in twenty minutes."
The fourth floor of Di Sheng Hotel.
In the private room, lights blazed, and the air was thick with the scent of wine and perfume. Glasses clinked as people mingled.
Qin Beiting, dressed in a black shirt, sat on one side of the sofa, his long fingers idly swirling the ice cubes in his glass. The light sculpted his features, giving him a sharp, handsome profile.
Several heavily made-up women, seeing such an exceptional man, couldn't resist the urge to approach, but his aura of aloofness deterred them from making a move.
"Brother Ting, I heard from the brothers that you've found a girlfriend. Why haven't you brought her out to meet us?"
Shao Chen, with a heavily made-up woman on his left and a demure student on his right, walked over.
He was the young master of the Shao family, one of the four great families, and a notorious playboy in high society, changing women as easily as changing clothes.
He had been sent to the military by Old Master Shao for training, but after three years, he had returned to start a business.
It was then that they had become friends.
"Get away from me, you smell," Qin Beiting said, frowning. He disliked the cheap perfume worn by the women.
Shao Chen, aware of his潔癖 (germophobia), clicked his tongue in displeasure. "Still so fussy. What kind of ultimate woman have you found?"
As he spoke, he waved his hand, dismissing the two women.
"He hasn't won her over yet!" Lu Yiming whispered in his ear.
"Ha?" Shao Chen raised an eyebrow, a cigarette dangling from his lips, and asked with a roguish grin, "Is there any woman in this world that Brother Ting can't pursue?"
Qin Beiting: "..."
"Did you send her yachts, houses, luxury cars, and diamonds?" Shao Chen asked.
Qin Beiting: "...No."
Yu He had been reluctant to stay at Tianyu; if he directly offered... would it scare her?
"Then you're not doing it right. Women are all materialistic. First, send her a round of diamonds, luxury cars, and houses. If that still doesn't work, buy her a star in the sky and name it after her."
Shao Chen took a deep drag of his cigar and slowly exhaled. "As long as you spend enough money, there's no woman you can't win over."
"I've learned something!" Lu Yiming couldn't help but give a thumbs-up. "Brother Ting, are you going to follow this plan tomorrow?"
"She's not that superficial," Qin Beiting glanced at him, his eyes filled with disdain.
He wondered why he had come to seek advice from such a shallow playboy; it was pointless.
Lu Yiming thought of Yu He's cool, beautiful face, the aura of distant elegance she exuded, and her composure even when facing danger. She was indeed extraordinary.
"But how do you know if you don't try? Practice makes perfect!" he called out to Qin Beiting's retreating back.
The sound of the private room door closing was his only reply.
...
As Qin Beiting stepped out of Di Sheng, Chen Dong drove up and stopped beside him.
"Brother Ting, they've found the Black Spirit Pearl at Xing Que! It will be auctioned next Saturday at 8 PM," Chen Dong said, opening the rear passenger door for him.
Qin Beiting nodded. "Go and prepare."
"Yes," Chen Dong replied. "Then, are you still meeting Miss Qi tomorrow?"
Qin Yongchao, the patriarch of the Qin family, who had always been indifferent to Qin Beiting, had suddenly started showing concern for Qin Beiting's health in the past two days and had arranged for a doctor.
This doctor was the eldest daughter of the Qi family, Qi Yuanyuan.
He had also specifically mentioned that Qi Yuanyuan was single, and a marriage alliance between the Qin and Qi families would be immensely beneficial for Qin Beiting.
Qin Yongchao's sudden interest in Qin Beiting's health and marital affairs was obvious: he wanted to win Qin Beiting over for his Qin family shares.
Qin Beiting narrowed his eyes and uttered a single word, "Yes."
Chen Dong was somewhat surprised. "Then, Miss Yu He..."
"Together."
Chen Dong: "What the hell is this move?!"
--
Gu Family.
Gu Yan received a reply from "Crow's" assistant early in the morning, requesting a price increase. An inexplicable rage surged within her.
A tenfold price increase was already her maximum budget, and he was asking for a hundredfold increase!